Mourinho irked by plan for new touchline rules

AFP-Jose Mourinho believes there is no need to change the regulations governing coaches’ technical areas in the wake of Alan Pardew’s clash with Hull’s David Meyler.

Newcastle manager Pardew is facing punishment after admitting an FA charge of head-butting the Hull midfielder.

Pardew’s actions were condemned by the League Managers’ Association chief executive Richard Bevan who revealed the design of touchline technical areas is currently under review.

But Chelsea manager Mourinho — who was charged after a touchline clash with Barcelona assistant coach Tito Vilanova when he was in charge of Real Madrid — insists the current arrangement works well.

“I don’t think change is needed. I never had a problem to share a short space with other managers,” Mourinho said on Friday.

“In many stadiums, it looks like there’s only one dug-out for everybody and that’s not a problem.

“The manager should have that freedom to come out and speak with the players, to walk in the technical areas.

“The problem is human nature, and the human nature is open to mistakes. I made mistakes in technical areas, too. I paid for those mistakes. I was suspended for those mistakes. Every one of us can make mistakes.”

Mourinho refused to condemn Pardew’s behaviour and insisted the Newcastle manager is not the hot-headed character some describe him as.

“In the specific case of Alan, it was a mistake we’re not used to seeing,” he said.

“He’s going to pay for it. In my case, when I had situations in the dug-outs, the biggest punishment is not the money or the matches you’re outside, but ‘you’ recognising yourself that you made a mistake.

“That’s the worst punishment, feeling you made a mistake. So it’s fair for people like me, saying what they really feel, say he’s a great guy, a good friend, and that’s more important than the mistake.”

Mourinho’s Chelsea face Tottenham at Stamford Bridge on Saturday and the Blues manager believes victory will help them achieve their first target of the campaign.

Mourinho’s side are the only one of the top four in league action this weekend and a win will move the leaders seven points clear of Arsenal and Liverpool and nine points ahead of Manchester City, who will have three games in hand on the Stamford Bridge club.

It will also move them 13 points ahead of Tottenham in fifth, with nine games remaining.

– Make top four spot secure –

Mourinho again refused to install his side as title favourites but conceded a win would all but guarantee a top four finish and a route into next season’s Champions League.

“We want our top four position safe and, in this moment, the biggest threat for that top four position is Tottenham because they are fifth and the closest team to the top four,” he said.

“If we can get a result against them, we can say that, almost for sure, our objective of finishing top four is in a very good direction.”

And referring to Chelsea’s position in relation to their main rivals, he added: “I keep saying that is not a realistic situation.

“When teams have played the same number of matches you can say properly if you’re in front or behind.

“When some teams have played more matches than others, the situation is not real. I don’t look at the table, I look at the game.”

Mourinho also revealed Ashley Cole would be out for up to 10 days after damaging a knee ligament in training.

The left-back made the most of a rare starting opportunity to press his claims for a place in England’s World Cup squad in the midweek friendly win over Denmark.

But Mourinho said: “Unfortunately he got an injury yesterday in training and is one of the players who is out tomorrow.

“A lateral ligament, a little thing, but impossible for tomorrow and between eight and 10 days.”